The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to medical diagnostic imaging systems, and more particularly to diagnostic imaging systems that acquire bone and tissue images.
Body size measurements of an individual are commonly used to determine risk factors for potential diseases or conditions that can cause health problems. For example, waist circumference is a metabolic risk factor that is used as an anthropometric substitute for measuring abdominal fat. Waist circumference is commonly measured using a standard tape measure or other external gauge (e.g., bioelectrical impedance gauge). However, inter-observer and intra-observer variations in measurements using tapes measures or other external gauges may affect the validity of the measurements, leading to possible incorrect or inaccurate risk factor assessment. Moreover, it is often difficult to reproduce the exact measurement conditions (e.g., location of the measurements) during subsequent examinations, for example, during follow-up examinations. Accordingly, it may be difficult to accurately assess or determine changes in waist circumference. Additionally, some of the gauges use indirect estimators that are not focused on regions of interest, and accordingly, are not necessarily accurate for measurement of those regions.
In conventional external measurement methods for measuring the waist, the umbilicus is often used as a landmark. However, in larger or obese individuals, gravity can distend the umbilicus away from the equivalent vertebral position as compared to smaller or non-obese individuals. Moreover, other variations can occur in the conventional external measurement methods, for example, due to the amount of tension in the tape measure and the tendency of some individuals to suck in their abdomen when being measured.